Oxford United put in almost the perfect away performance tonight as two goals from Mark Harris earned them a superb 2-1 win at Pride Park.
Harris made it three goals in four days with two clinical finishes to ensure that Liam Manning's side swiftly followed up their first home win on Saturday with their first victory on the road, despite a late goal from Martin Waghorn to ensure a grandstand finish.
United survived a late storm but were full value for the win, having set their stall out in great style at the very start. There were a couple of speculative efforts from Billy Bodin and Cameron Brannagan before the dangerous Marcus Browne tested home keeper Joe Wildsmith for the first time with a low effort on 17 minutes that was snaking towards the bottom left corner until Wildsmith got a glove on it.
There was half a chance when the non-stop Tyler Goodrham ran the length of the pitch but couldn’t shake off the last defender as they sprinted side by side into the box, Goodhram v Good Ram, and then there was a seemingly blatant penalty ignored when Harris was hauled back, unspotted, inside the box after 27 minutes.
It mattered little because five minutes later United’s goal threat became real as Harris powered home his second of the season.
It came from an uncharacteristic mistake from Curtis Nelson, who inexplicably passed straight to former teammate Brannagan deep inside the Derby half. Brannagan gratefully drove forward, drew defenders to him, then rolled the ball to his right, where Harris let fly with a powerful effort that arrowed into the top-right corner while Wildsmith waved a hopeful hand at the ball as it flashed past.
The previously sheepish Rams responded, James Beadle needing to make a good save soon after in tipping a dipping header from Eiran Cashin over the bar. But United are a solid unit in defence and defended superbly as they soaked up pressure during the home side's best spell. With Derby having previously lost both home games, there was extra pressure on Paul Warne's side to somehow find a way past Beadle and his well-schooled defence.
When Cashin threatened after 53 minutes, Skipper Elliott Moore bravely blocked his header, but it was still the visitors who looked more likely to score, with their counter attacks always a threat.
That proved the case. First Bodin forced Wildsmith into a good save just after the hour and, with their fans playing a full part in a tremendous atmosphere, United were in control long before Harris seemingly wrapped things up with the second.
Sub Ruben Rodriguez played a huge part, working the ball forward down the right and rolling it in for Bodin, who set the ball back for his fellow Wales international. His drive was low and true and United were 2-0 up.
That wasn't the end though. Derby had little to lose and on 87 were given a lifeline when Waghorn finally found a way past Beadle. However, United's game management was top class and despite a few nervy moments, and seven agonising minutes of added time, they saw the game out.
A terrific performance and United are at the right end of the early League 1 table, something they haven't been for almost a year. Early days. But highly encouraging ones.
See you at Barnsley...
Att: 25,292
Away: 1,042
Report by Chris Williams, pictures JasonPix and Steve Edmunds